Circus firm continues court journey

Feld Entertainment, the firm behind Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey shows that's building a $20 million production headquarters in north Manatee County, won another round in a decade-long legal saga.

This latest victory had some wallop, too: Federal Judge Emmet Sullivan wrote that the initial complaint against Feld brought by several prominent national animal rights groups — that the firm mistreated elephants — was “frivolous, unreasonable and groundless.”

Added Sullivan, in the March 29 ruling: “This is the next chapter in this extraordinary litigation, which commenced over a decade ago. After 11 years, including two appeals, protracted, contentious, and expensive discovery, and a six-week trial, the plaintiffs were unable to produce any credible evidence that any of them had standing to pursue their claims.”

Sullivan specifically ruled that the plaintiffs must pay Feld's attorneys fees. The actual dollar amount will be decided after more hearings, though Feld officials have previously said the company has spent more than $20 million in the case.